1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to golf bag assemblages and, in particular, to those golf bag assemblages which include stands which are self-opening and self-closing when they are put down and picked up, respectively, and in which the bottom of the golf bag includes a bottom unit pivotally attached to the bottom of the elongated container of the golf bag, and the bottom portion of the golf bag acts as a pedal for a push rod means which causes the legs of the stand to expand outward to the right and left sides.
2. Background Art
There are numerous golf bags with stands which open when the golf bags to which they are fixed or attached are placed down, and which close when the golf bags are picked up. Most of the golf bags with stands presently being marketed include one pedal which is attached at the end of an activating rod to support one or more stand legs while they are opening. In these stand bags, when pressure is applied to the pedal, it moves upward and causes the legs to expand outward to the right and left sides, while the bottom of the golf bag pivots.
When the ground upon which one of these stand bags is being placed is flat and the surface is hard, the pedal operates well. However, if the ground condition is wet or soft, as for example, after or while it is raining, the pedal is barely functional. Also, in general, in each of these stand bags, the size of the pedal is not as big as is the bottom surface of the bag. Since it is the bottom surface of the bag which touches the ground, it can sink into the mud or any other wet ground base, especially as it pivots. Also, the pedal can hardly support the activating rod as it moves upward when the stand bag is placed down on tall grass.
In one golf bag assemblage presently being marketed, the activating rod of the stand bag pushes up the activating rod, causing it to collapse. Also, the golf bag cannot stand upright, as there is not a backside support rod in the bag. In contrast, in the subject invention, when pressure is applied to the activating rod, the bottom of the golf bag moves upwards and downwards through the inside of the bag body cuff, and the golf bag can stand upright. It should be noted that, in contrast to other golf bag assemblages in which the bottom of the golf bag pivots, with regard to the subject invention, the bottom of the golf bag does not pivot, but rather the bottom of the golf bag includes a bottom unit pivotally attached to the bottom of the elongated container of the golf bag, and the bottom portion of the golf bag acts as a pedal for a push rod means which causes the legs of the stand to expand outward to the right and left sides.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,654 (Jones) discloses a golf bag which has legs that are movable between an extended position where they support the bag upright and a retracted position where they are in adjacency with the bag. An actuation mechanism moves the legs to their extended position when the bag is urged downwardly when in a vertical orientation with the actuation mechanism in contact with the ground. The base can be partially relieved to permit downward movement of the bag when the actuation mechanism is in contact with the ground without the actuation mechanism being in contact with the ground when the bag is vertical and the nonrelieved portion of the base is resting on the ground. The ground end of the actuation mechanism doe not lie under or extend under the bottom of the golf bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,197,298 (McGregor) discloses a golf bag having a folding stand mechanism. A toggle linkage at the lower portion of the folding stand mechanism has a foot with an inward facing vertical arm extend under the bottom of the golf bag, but it does hold the bottom of the bag off of the ground when the folding stand mechanism is in the extended stage.
An object of the invention is to overcome disadvantages and problems of prior art golf bag assemblages including stands. An object of the invention is to provide a sturdy golf bag assemblage, the bottom unit, pedal and stand of which can bear heavy weight, and which is not unsteady when placed on uneven (e.g., grass) or unsteady (e.g., wet) ground. A still further object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages of golf bag assemblages in which the bag body does not keep its shape and collapses or deforms. With regard to the subject invention, the golf bag assemblage keeps its shape, and does not collapse or deform. Other objects and advantages of the invention are set out herein or are obvious herefrom to one skilled in the art.
The invention involves a golf bag assemblage which includes an elongated container for golf clubs, a bottom unit pivotally attached to the bottom of the elongated container so that the bottom unit pivots in relation to the bottom of the elongated container, and leg means attached by attachment means to the outside of upper portion of the elongated container. The attachment means are positioned diametric to the pivotal attachment of the bottom unit, the leg means include legs which are pivotally attached to the attachment means, and the push rod means are attached to the top region of the legs and to the bottom unit diametric to the pivotal attachment of the bottom unit. When the golf bag is tilted in the direction opposite to the pivotal attachment of the bottom unit, the bottom unit, in effect, pivots in relation to the bottom of the elongated container, and the push rod means is moved towards the top of the elongated container, thereby pivoting the legs outward.
The invention comes with a support inside of the bag, where the activating rod is located, to prevent the collapse of the bag body while the bottom functions as it pushes the pedal activating the rod upwards. By keeping the back stationary, the invention allows the bag to stand upright, and allows the bottom of the golf bag to function by moving the bottom up and downward through the inside of the bottom cuffs of the bag. The pedal activated bottom of the bag moves upwards when the activating rod has been pushed, keeping the stand legs in their place. However, when the bag is lifted by the golfer, the bottom moves downward through the inside of the bottom side cuff (lower cuff).
The material strips may be made of any flexible material or materials, such as, webbing, narrow loom fabric or leather piece. The moving height both upwards and downwards is, thus, controlled, so that the bottom of the golf bag stops at a horizontal position when it moves downward.